Box Seats, Others Going Fast For Wilder's Bashes

Most will be taken by corporate sponsors, the main source of funding behind the $500,000 inaugural weekend planned for Jan. 12 and 13.

FOR THE RECORD - Published correction ran Wednesday, December 20, 1989. Based on information provided by Gov.-elect L. Douglas Wilder's press office, an article incorrectly reported that the least expensive tickets for the Jan. 13. inaugural ball cost $100. The tickets are $50. The same article incorrectly reported that box seats for the inaugural ball cost $2,500. That is the price for a table for 10 people.

For those on a more restrictive budget, there are cheaper seats at the ball - about $100 a head. If money's really tight, skip the ball and just go to the gala the night before. That will only cost about $50 a person.

And if it's really, really tight, skip all of the social events and head right for the swearing-in ceremonies at the Capitol Jan. 13. That's as cheap as it gets - it's free.

And it's open to the public; no invitation is needed.

Although Wilder's ticket prices won't turn the heads of those who want to go badly enough, they are up from tickets sold eight years ago when Charles S. Robb became governor and four years ago when Gerald L. Baliles took office.

Robb's planners were trying to keep their costs close to $95,000. Baliles' people were working with a budget of about $250,000, half of what Wilder is working with.

When Robb was being sworn in, gala tickets were going for about $20, while the ball cost $30 a person for the cheap seats. The box seats were about $1,000. For that money, attendees were entertained by the likes of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, the Virginia Opera Association and the Volunteer Virginians.

Four years later, when the current governor, Gerald L. Baliles, was placing his hand on the Bible, tickets for the gala and ball were both going for about $25 a person. That's the year The Lettermen topped the entertainment ticket followed by the Virginia Commonwealth University Jazz Orchestra, Mountain Mission Choir and Ivan Hodge, a young violinist.

"The reason for the price increase is, one, inflation, and, two, we're expecting some fairly well known folks to be at this thing as performers," said Wilder spokeswoman Laura Dillard.

Well, how "well known" are they? "These people will not need introductions," Dillard said.

Really? So who are they? Dillard isn't saying.

Wilder said earlier, though, that he expects a few celebrities to be circulating throughout the events, although not on stage.

Comedian and television star Bill Cosby, who wrote Wilder a $100,000 check during the campaign, will be there. Fighter Muhammad Ali, who sent Wilder one of his championship rings election night, also is getting an invitation. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is expected as is David Dinkins, the new mayor of New York City. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a two-time presidential candidate, also may get an invitation.

Most, if not all, of the money from ticket sales will pay for the inauguration. Any left over money will be put in a discretionary fund that Wilder could use for just about anything. But the money won't go to retire campaign debts, Dillard said.

Wilder will be holding his gala at The Mosque in Richmond. The ball will be held at the Richmond Coliseum with heated tents set up outside the arena to handle the overflow crowd, Dillard said. "Like a garden party," she said.

The historic nature of Wilder's swearing-in - he's the first black ever elected governor in the United States - is expected to increase the size of the crowd in town for the weekend.

About 10,000 people came to town for Baliles' inauguration, and Dillard said she's expecting between 10,000 and 15,000 this time.